Do Christians Hate Gays?

There may be no religious and political issue as emotionally
charged as the issue of homosexuality. People generally think that Christians
are bigoted, hateful, homophobic, and downright immoral for preaching against
homosexuality. The charge that Christians “hate gays” comes around quite
frequently. But is that really true? Do Christians hate gays? Does God hate gays?

The Bible Says To Love The
Sinner, But Hate The Sin

While I can’t speak for every Christian, I do think that
it’s at least possible to consider homosexuality (or anything else for that
matter) a sin and have no hatred towards the sinner who commits the action.
There’s a common saying in modern Christendom: “Love the sinner, hate the
sin”. As Christians we are called to hate sin. Proverbs 8:13 says “To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” Psalm 97:10
says “Let those who love the LORD hate evil” Amos 5:15 says “Hate
evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts.” So it’s clear that we who
love God are to have a hatred towards sin, whatever that sin may be.

However, we are indeed to love the one who commits the
action. Jesus said in His Sermon On The Mount "You have heard that it
was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an
evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other
also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your
cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to
borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate
your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you." - Matthew 5:38-44

Now, I’m not saying homosexuals are the enemies of
Christians. But what I am saying is that Jesus is saying here that we are to
love those who do evil to us, who even go so far as to torture and kill us for
our Christian faith. Now, if we can go so far as to love those who do evil
deeds to us, isn’t it possible for me to love a homosexual, whose deeds don’t
even affect my life in any way whatsoever? I mean, persecution does
affect me! Two men having sex somewhere does not. Homosexual activity has no
affect on me whatsoever. And yet, Jesus commands me to love those who do all
sorts of evil and unkind acts to me, If I can love those who break my bones and pick my pocket, surely I can
love those whose actions don’t affect me.

If we are supposed to go to the extreme of loving even our
enemies, we ought also to love homosexuals. This was a precedent that Christ
himself set down for us, for when the Jewish leaders asked why it was that he
was breaking bread with guilty sinners, he replied, “It is not the healthy
who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire
mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”-
Matthew 9:12-13

If that wasn’t enough, consider this analogy; Can a parent
love his child even when he does things he doesn’t like? If the child
consistently disobeys the parent, throws temper tantrums, and the like, does
the parent hate his child just because he hates his behavior? Most of you who
are parents would answer with a strong “NO”! You love your child even though
you hate his behavior. You love the person, but hate his actions, right? Well,
in the same way, God hates homosexual activity but loves the person committing
the action. Those who hold up signs saying “God hates gays”are
holding up signs of blasphemy. God hates no sinner. He loves all sinners so much that He gave His only son to keep them out of Hell (John 3:16).Romans 5:8 says that God demonstrated His love toward us "while we were still sinners" by dying on the cross to atone for our sins. God hates sin, but God loves sinner.
Christians should be the same way. And in fact, The Bible calls us to do so.

I think John chapter 8 shows us how we should deal with the
issue of Homosexuality. While this may not be a divinely inspired text (since
it was a later addition in the manuscripts and likely not part of the original gospel
of John), I think it nonetheless can teach us how to be loving and kind towards
those living in sin while not pretending that what they do is not sinful.

In John 8, a woman who committed adultery was brought before
Jesus. The Pharisees asked Jesus “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act
of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you
say?” (verses 4 and 5). They were saying this to trip Jesus up (verse 6).
They wanted to have some basis for accusing Him. Jesus then bent down and
started to write on the ground with his finger. When
they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any
one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stoneat her.”(verse
7). Jesus told them that unless you have lived your entire life without
sinning, you don’t have the right to condemn anyone else who have sinned. You
cannot condemn someone. Everyone there was honest with themselves, they dropped
their stones and went away (verse 9). Eventually, only Jesus and the adulteress
woman were left. Jesus asked “Has anyone stayed to condemn you?” and the
adulteress answered “No.” Then Jesus responded “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your
life of sin.” (verse 11) .

Jesus treated the woman who
committed adultery with love, kindness and compassion. He would not let the
people stone her. But nonetheless, when they all left, He told her to “leave
her life of sin”. He showed her love and kindness, but He did not shy away
from stating that what she did was indeed a sin (as evident from His command to
her to leave her adulteress ways). We should deal with homosexuals in exactly
the same way. Let’s not pretend that homosexuality isn’t a sin. It is (read Romans
1:26-28, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Timothy 1:10). But we are to be loving towards
them. Love is patient and kind (1 Corinthians 13:4). Anyone who shows contempt
for homosexuals is not treating the homosexual the way Jesus would.

The
Bible Teaches That Those Who Have Hatred In Their Hearts Aren’t Saved

Any truly born again Christian
will have no hatred in their hearts for anyone. God is love (1 John 4:8).
Therefore, if one has hatred in their heart, one cannot have God in their
heart. Light and darkness cannot exist in the same place at the same time. Likewise,
love and hatred cannot exist simultaneously.

The Apostle John uses some pretty damning language about
people who have hatred in their hearts. He says that anyone has hatred in their
hearts is a murderer at heart and that no murderer has eternal life in him. He
also says that those who are walking in hatred are walking in darkness.

"If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but
hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness.
Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not
cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates another brother or sister is
still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to
go, having been blinded by the darkness." -1 John 2:9-11

"We know that we have passed out of death into life,
because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone
who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal
life abiding in him." – 1 John 3:14-15

“If someone says, "I love God," but hates a
Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people
we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?” – 1 John 4:20

Obviously, if you carry hatred in your heart, you are not
saved. If you have hatred in your heart, you’re a murderer at heart (1 John 3:14-15), you’re walking in darkness (1 John
2:9-11), and you’re a liar when you tell God that you love Him (1 John 4:20). Loving everyone is a command from God (Matthew 5:44,
Matthew 22:37-40).

Conclusion

In conclusion, it’s possible to consider someone’s lifestyle
or actions sinful without having any hatred towards the one committing the
action. We can love the sinner, and hate the sin. Whether that sin be sex out
of wedlock, homosexuality, taking the Lord’s name in vein, or any other
biblically prohibited actions. I don’t hate homosexuals any more than I do
people who take God’s name in vein on a regular basis. I don't hate homosexuals anymore than couples who have sex out of wedlock on a regular basis. I don't hate homosexuals any more than people who watch Pornography (Matthew 5:28). There are many sins and homosexuality is just one of them. One among many. And we are all sinners (Romans 3:23). I don't have a right to look down on people just because they might sin differently than I do. I've got my own sinful struggles to deal with. Not Homosexuality, but things the Bible nevertheless prohibits (e.g a nasty cursing habit). I can cast no stones.

There have probably been cases where Christians have treated
homosexuals harshly. I don’t doubt it. In these cases though, these
“Christians” have offended God just as much they offended the homosexual. When
we preach against the sin of homosexuality, we need to be very careful that we
don’t come off as hateful. I’m not saying we need to water down the biblical
teaching about homosexuality, just that we need to be gentle. Proverbs 15:1“A
gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” If anyone
gets offended, let it be because of the content of your message (i.e “Homosexuality
is a sin”) not because of the way you present it. We can speak the truth, but
we MUST do it in love (Ephesians 4:15).
If you can’t speak the truth in love, remain silent.